


Afternoon Tea and Murder

by hlravensnest_archivist



Category: Highlander: The Raven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-12-31
Updated: 2001-12-31
Packaged: 2018-12-16 21:57:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11837838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hlravensnest_archivist/pseuds/hlravensnest_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atHL Raven's Nest. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onHL Raven's Nest's collection profile.





	Afternoon Tea and Murder

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HL Raven's Nest](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HL_Raven%27s_Nest). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HL Raven's Nest's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hlravensnest/profile).

Afternoon Tea and Murder by RSS

 

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_Afternoon Tea and Murder_

by RSS 

Amanda is busy shopping when she senses another Immortal. She continues walking as she tries to get a fix on the other Immortal. A woman rounds the corner, smiles and calls, "Amanda!" It's Vivian Mannock. She has on a blue business suit with black pumps and her hair is neatly pulled up. She still looks the proper English lady. 

"Hello, Vivian!" Amanda greets her. 

"It's been so long. You look well." 

"Thank you. So do you darling." 

"Oh and look at this, it's tea time. I'll just have to take you to tea." 

"If you insist darling." As Vivian leads the way, Amanda thinks back to the first time they met. 

* * *

**London, 1912**

Amanda senses other Immortals nearby. A few moments later she hears the sounds of a sword fight. From the rhythm she can tell it's a pair of novices. She rounds a corner and sees a man and a woman fighting in an alley. The man has on street clothes; the woman is well dressed. The man is clearly better than the woman. The rules prohibit Amanda from interfering. She watches the two beginners fight. The woman is on the defensive, and Amanda feels sorry for her. Her head tells Amanda her feelings could be misplaced. A thousand years of experience has taught Amanda she can't judge an Immortal by looks. 

The woman traps the man's sword. Then she spins around and takes his head. Amanda can see the woman quivering and breathing heavily. Then the Quickening overtakes the woman. After the short Quickening, the woman notices Amanda. 

"Don't tell me he was someone you knew." 

Amanda glances at the severed head. "No, never saw him before." 

"He just attacked me." 

The woman glances at the dead body then turns away apparently disgusted by her own handiwork. 

"I'm Amanda." 

"I'm Vivian Mannock." 

"First time?" 

"Second. Do you ever get use to this?" 

"Regrettably, yes. We have to get out of here. It's almost tea time. I think we'll get you something stronger." Amanda leads Vivian away from the scene. 

* * *

**Present Time**

Amanda and Vivian sip tea outside a cafe. "Amanda I'm so glad I bumped into you." 

Amanda senses Vivian wants a favor of her. "I'm happy to see you too, darling." 

"I'd like to ask you to do me a small favor." 

"Oh, what is it?" Amanda sips some tea. 

"Murder my husband." 

Amanda chokes on her tea. After she recovers she whispers, "Couldn't you just get a divorce?" 

"I don't want to leave him. I just want him to die." 

"What did he do to you?" 

"He made me very happy for these past eleven years. He'll get right back up!" 

"He's an Immortal?" 

"Yes, and his Immortality needs to be triggered. I found a couple of gray hairs on his head a few months ago." 

"Vivian, this is against the rules." 

"You've never been a strict follower of the rules before. Amanda, I tried to do it myself but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. You know how squeamish I am." 

"All right, I'll do it. Just let me finish my tea." 

"Of course." 

"You timed dropping that bombshell on me so I would be drinking?" 

"You said I didn't have a sense of humor. I decided this was a good opportunity to prove you were mistaken." 

  
Amanda follows her "target". His name is Ron Moore, American business executive, and wife of Vivian Moore. As he's driving home from work in his silver BMW, Amanda follows him in an old pick-up truck. Her plan is simple: she will force him off the road into the embankment. She hopes that will be enough and she won't have to finish the job with her broadsword. She still isn't quite sure how she should put it when he heals. 

Amanda decides it's time to do it. She steps on the gas and pulls along side the BMW. She swerves to ram into him but his car isn't there. He slowed down to let her pass. Amanda fights to regain control of her truck. Once she gains control she speeds up and takes the first exit. Amanda doesn't believe what happened. _Who ever heard of a BMW driver letting someone in a clunker pass him on the road._

  
It's 7:30 in the morning. Amanda sits on a roof with a thermos full of strong coffee and a scoped rifle. She hates being up this early but it seemed the only time there wouldn't be a crowd of mortals around. Nick was suspicious when she woke up the same time he did. She told him she was doing a favor for an old friend. She swore to him the favor didn't involve swordplay. She didn't tell him the favor involved assassination. According to what Vivian told her Ron arrives at work between 7:30 and 8:00. 

Her target drives up and parks his car. She scans the area to make sure there's no one else close enough to get in the way of her bullet. She locks and loads, then brings the rifle to her eye. Her target walks towards the entrance of an office building. She leads him slightly before squeezing off a round. The bullet strikes the glass front of the building. She realizes Ron had suddenly turned around to go back to his car. Ron looks confused. 

Someone down the street screams, "Sniper!" Ron dives for the ground. He uses his BMW for cover. Amanda unloads and clears her rifle. She puts the rifle and thermos inside a duffel bag and then rappels from the roof. _It's amazing how someone can foil meticulous planning with dumb luck._

  
Amanda sits on a motorcycle wearing an accompanying motorcycle ensemble. She has the entrance to her target's office building in sight. She senses an Immortal that has had a first death. She sees Ron exiting the building with Nick Wolfe. Nick is no doubt Ron's bodyguard. Amanda decides to go for it anyway. 

She unzips her jacket slightly then drives towards Ron and Nick. She's careful to keep her head forward as she keeps her eyes on her target. When she comes close she reaches into her jacket and takes out a Beretta. Nick throws Ron to the ground as Amanda fires two rounds, but the bullets miss their mark. As Amanda speeds away she sees Nick with his gun drawn in her mirror. He doesn't fire. Instead he jumps on his motorcycle parked in visitor's parking. Seconds later the chase is on. 

Amanda knows she can call off the chase anytime but there would be no fun in that. Amanda loves the excitement of the chase. Getting away would also save her a pointless philosophical argument with Nick. 

Nick keeps pace with her. Amanda thinks he may have even closed the gap a bit. Amanda decides to ride to the abandoned rail yard. There she could lose him in a game of cat and mouse. When she reaches the rail yard Nick is only about two bike lengths behind her. She makes a sharp turn to drive between two buildings. She loses control and goes tumbling off her motorcycle. When she comes to a stop she feels she has broken a couple of ribs and maybe her right arm. The fall also knocked the wind out of her. She tries to catch her breath when she sees Nick standing over her with his sword at her throat. 

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't whack your head off?" 

Amanda opens her visor. She catches enough air to blurt out, 

"That will make it impossible for me to keep our dinner date." 

"Amanda, what are you up to?" Nick sheathes his sword. Amanda extends her hand and Nick helps her to her feet. "Well?" 

"Look, Nick, have Ron take you to his home. Tell him you want to do a security check of his home or something. When you get there we'll explain everything to you." 

"We?" 

"Ron's wife and I will explain everything to you, I promise. Just don't tell him about us. He doesn't know about Immortals." 

"Why? So you can have him walk into an ambush?" 

"We won't try to kill him. I promise." 

Nick mounts his motorcycle and drives away. Amanda knows she could never persuade Nick to go along with triggering Ron's Immortality. She hopes Vivian could persuade him to look the other way. 

  
Amanda is at Vivian's house. It's a large house with traditional architecture and furnishing. Amanda explains to Vivian the latest wrinkle in their plans. She tells Vivian how she triggered Nick's Immortality. They sip tea as they wait for Nick and Ron. When they sense them coming Vivian remarks, "So the curtain rises." The two men enter the house. 

"Hello Ron. I see you also brought a friend home." 

"Yes, yes, this is Nick Wolfe, a consultant from America. This is my wife, Vivian." 

"Happy to meet you." 

"Charmed. An American! This is Amanda Montrose she's also an American." 

"Ms. Montrose," Ron greets her. 

"Oh, please call me Amanda." 

"Happy to meet you too, Amanda." 

"Oh Ron, why don't you go down to the wine cellar and get a bottle of wine." 

"Why not? Come on Nick." 

"Ron, let Nick stay here so he and Amanda can get better acquainted." 

"Why not?" 

Ron steps through a door leading to the cellar. They wait silently for a few seconds. 

"All right, now why don't you tell me what the hell are you two up to?" 

"Amanda is helping me give Ron the gift of Immortality." 

"Well don't you think you should let Ron in on it?" 

"I will right after he heals from his first death." 

"I mean now, so you can let him decide if he wants 'the gift'." 

"You Americans are such fanatics about democracy." 

"That's because it seems to work." 

"Not in this case. It's wrong to force someone to make such a decision. Unless death is imminent it's only a philosophical exercise. When death is imminent then the person is under duress. The concept of informed consent is a quaint notion that doesn't apply to us." 

"So, since you're Immortal you get to play God. Is that it?" 

"If Amanda didn't play God you'd be a rotting corpse." 

Amanda feels a familiar sensation. She rushes to the entrance to the wine cellar. Vivian and Nick follow her. Amanda opens the door and sees Ron's body at the bottom of the staircase. She notices the third wooden step from the top of the staircase has broken. Vivian tries to run down the steps but Amanda stops her. "Watch out for the broken step." Amanda lets Vivian continue. Vivian takes Ron's body in her arms. She kisses him then smiles and looks at Amanda and Nick. 

"I can handle it from here. Would you mind terribly showing yourselves out?" 

"Not at all darling." Amanda and Nick walk away. 

* * *

**Epilogue**

Amanda walks into Nick's office. She has a postcard in her hand. "I got a postcard from Vivian and Ron." 

"How are they doing?" 

"Ron took a couple of weeks vacation and they went to Block Island." She hands him the postcard then continues speaking. "Secluded, there probably isn't another Immortal on the Island. A good place for Ron to absorb what happened and for Vivian to teach him what he needs to know." 

"She must love him very much." 

"She does. When it takes almost a century to find a love like that you'll do almost anything to hold onto it as long as you can." 

Nick stands and puts his hands on Amanda's arms. "Thank you." 

"What for?" 

"For saving my life." Nick embraces Amanda then they kiss. 

**THE END**

* * *

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© 2001 


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